Quilting-machine.



G. A. BOETTCHER.

QUILTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED NOV. 10, I913- 1,218,517. W Patented Mar.6,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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QUILTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10. 1913.

1,218,5 1'7. Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

vi a r- G. A. BOETTCHER.

QUILTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1913.

1,218,517. Patefited Mar. 6, 1917.

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GUSTAV A. BOETTCI'IER, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

QUILTING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

Application filed November 10, 1913. Serial No. 800,178.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gus'rav A. Bon'r'r- CHER, a sub ect of the Emperor of Germany,

residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in .Quilting-liiachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention appertains to what I term multi-needle sewing machines, particularly to the type of these machines designed pri marily for the quilting of goods. As a general thing, machines of this class embody a well known organization of mechanisms including the needle bar mechanism, feed motion for the goods, shuttle and shuttle drive instrumentalities, tension and take-up mechanisms, etc.

I have devised an especially compact and ellicient operating mechanism for the needle bar and presser foot devices which are thus rendered certain in action and are suscepti ble of ready adjustment by theprovision of suitable means for the purpose.

In addition to the foregoing, an extremely important feature of my invention resides in the peculiar take-up mechanism which I utilize in conjunction with the needle bar mechanism, the former being operable by the latter and affording a very desirable means for regulating the supply of thread for the formation of the loops and producing the necessary tension of the stitches in sewing goods of different thicknesses, or using stitches of different lengths.

Other detail features of the invention for which novelty will be ultimately claimed are presented more fully in the following de scription, along with the details of the mechanism hereinbefore referred to.

In the accompanying drawings:-

Figure 1 is a front view of a machine embodying the essential features of the invention.

Fi 2 is a top plan View of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical, sectional View.

Fig. 4. is a side view showing the carriage forming a part of the feed motion and bringing out clearly the manner in which forward motion is transmitted intermittently to the feed rolls.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section bringing out more clearly the shuttle driving mechanism as seen in Fig. 3.

Figs. 6 and 7 are front and top plan views, respectively, disclosing the shuttle movement and the peculiar form of the shutthe races.

Fig. 8 is a view of a modification of the shuttle drive means.

Fig. 9 is a detail View bringing out more clearly the operative connections intermediate the c 'ank wheels and the shuttle carriers.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary;view of one of the thread guide bars showing the peculiar the various mechanisms now to be set forth in detail are carried. Spaced apart and secured in any substantial way to the base A are side frames B, and between said frames B are located the needle bar, presser foot, and take-up mechanisms, along with cooperating instrumentalities. The frames or members 13 are connected together rigidly by means of large cross bars 1 located one above the other, and a small cross bar 2. The cross bars 1 support a plurality of guide brackets 3, the latter merely having suitable openings through which the cross bars pass, and being held at proper adjustments in the length of the cross bars by means of set screws or the like. The brackets 3 are designed to act as guiding means for the vertical guide rods 4 of the needle bar 5, the latter being provided with a large number of needles as required in a machine of this special type. Certain of the brackets 3 also form guiding means for guide bars 6 to the lower ends of which is secured the presser foot 7 which consists of a fiat plate or bar of practically the same length as the needle bar 5, located beneath the needle bar and having apertures through which the various needles 5 operate. A rock shaft 9 is mounted in suitable hearings on the frames B and said rock shaft is operatively connected with the main drive shaft 10through the medium of the connecting rod 11 and eccentric 12, the latter carried by said shaft 10. Any suitable driving connection may be established, however, between the shafts 9 and 10, this being immaterial to the invention. Suitable arms 13 are carried by the shaft 9 and connected by links 14 with adjustable blocks 15 secured to the needle bar guide rods 4, motion bemg communicated through the medium of the above parts from the shaft 9 to the needle bar 5. The Dresser foot 7 is reciprocated vertically as well as the needle bar 5, by motion transmitted from the shaft 9. For this purpose the shaft 9 has eccentricslG thereon which engage rollers 17 carried by arms 18 attached adjustaoly to the upper ends of the guide bars 6.. Springs 19 encircle the bars 6 and are connected at one end to the bars to normally tend to force the presser foot 7 downwardly into engagement with the goods.

From the foregoing it will be understood that in the operation of the machine the needle bar 5 and the presser foot 7 are each reciiprocated vertically at comparatively high. speed through the operative connections of these parts with the main shaft 10.

The goods to be sewed together are fed from suitable rolls (not shown) mounted on the carriage D, over a cloth plate E, (see Figs. 1 and 3) beneath the needle bar 5 and presser foot 7 respectively from thence upward between the feed rolls 20 which are mounted on the carriage D, and from said feed rolls the goods i quilted or stitched condition is reeled about a suitable roll, not shown, but carried by the upper ends of arms 21 which project upwardly from the frames B, being attached to the latter by suitable means.

The feed movement will'now be described. Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 3 and 4 it will be observed that the carriage D is supported upon rollers 22 in the usual way, and any suitable means is employed for imparting lateral back and forth movement to the carriage in the well known manner. Since the means just mentioned forms no part of this invention the same will not be described. The mechanism for imparting forward feeding movement to the goods being sewed comprises the feed rolls 20 before corresponding gear 26 on said shaft 10.-

The stub shaft 24 is connected by a universal joint 27 and extensible shaft 28 with a worm 29 that engages a worm gear 30 connected with the end of one of the rolls 20. The sections of the shaft 28 are connect ed by a feather and spline or equivalent means, and said shaft obviously maintains a driving connection between the shaft 10 and worm 29, notwithstanding the variation in the position of the carriage D relative to the shaft 24, caused by the back and forth-lateral movement of the carriage. The worm 29 has the threads thereof pitched at a predetermined angle with respect to the axis of the Worm, except at certain points where said threads are practically straight or extended a short distance at a right angle to the axis of said member. These portions of the Worm threads, namely those unprovided with the normal pitch necessary for causing a feed movement of the worm wheel 30, engage the wheel 30, and the feed or rotating movement of the latter will be dis continued momentarily while at all other times a positive movement will be imparted to the feed rolls through the worm 29. It will of course be understood that the feed rolls are intergeared the meshing gears connecting the same being indicated 31 and being located atthe ends of the rolls 2O adjacent to the mechanism for moving the car-. riage laterally. The means employed for operating the rolls 20 is positive in its action, not being dependent upon any devices uncertain in action. such as springs, etc., which in the event of failure to work properly will'spoil the pattern of the goods en tirely, as will be readily apparent.

Between the frames B are short vertical standards 32 which carry a pair of transverse supporting bars 33. These parts are included in the shuttle mechanism in that they carry the shuttle races 34 which are secured directly by suitable fas'tenings at opposite ends, to the bars 33 aforesaid. Not only do the bars 33 support the shuttle races 34 but the said bars are utilized as guides for the drive rods 35 which connect the shuttle carriers 36 with the shuttle driving means proper. There is, of course, provided for each needle 5 of the needle bar 5, a shuttle and shuttle carrier. All of the carriers 36, however, are secured to a transverse plate 37 which is seated in recesses of blocks 38 attachedto the rear ends of the drive rods 35. The front ends of the drive rods are connected together by a plate 39 near the opposite ends of which are provided slots, and blocks 40 are slidable lengthwise of said slots and are engaged by crank pins 41 of crank wheels 42, two of which are utilized preferably for driving the shuttle mechanism. The crank wheels 42-, (see Fig. 5) are carried by the upper ends of shafts 43 mounted in incasing standards TE;

matter by means of. packing shown at 45. i-

Intermediate its ends each of the vertical shafts '43 has a worm gear 46 secured thereto in engagement with a worm wheel 47 mounted on the main shaft 10. The crank wheels 46 are therefore driven direct from i the opposite curved side or race-way 342 means shown in Fig. 8 may be employed, the crank wheel 42 as shown in this figure being carried by a short shaft 4-3 on which is mounted a bevel gear 46. The gear 46 meshes with a gear 47 mounted on the main shaft 10. Practically the only difference between the preferred and alternative driving instrumentalities resides in the fact that bevel gearing is substituted for worm gearing [is hereinbefore referred to, the shuttle races 34: are peculiarly constructed. Each race is provided with the usual flat side and A needle groove -18 is provided in the fiat side of the race 34 and the shuttle 6L9 is of the embroidery machine type, not having any external springs or thread guides and not necessitating the employment of a bobbin. In orderthat this shuttle may be used without likelihood of entanglement of the thread owing to its becoming clamped between the race and the needle plate,'the upper edge of the race 3% is cut away as shown at 31 to provide a clearance space for the thread as the shuttle works back and forth in moving through the loop of thread, and the manner in which the thread feeding from the shuttle is free to move in the clearance space 34 will be quite clear on reference to Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings. It is understood that such clearance may also be made in any other way, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Passing now to one of the most important features of the invention, the take-up mechanism hereinbefore referred to is shown clearly in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings. This mechanism comprises the take-up bar having suitable thread openings or eyes herein carried bv the front ends of a pair of lovers 51. The levers 51 are provided at their rear ends with slots 51 in which operate blocks 52 that are carried by pins or studs on arms 53 attached to the cross bar 2 intermediate the frames B. The levers 51 are virtually fulcrumed, therefore, upon the arms of the cross bar 2 and intermediate their ends said levers are connected by pins or studs 54 with blocks 55 secured to the upper ends of the needle bar guide rods 4L. It will thus be evident that, assuming that the threads extending to the needles 7 are passed through the eyes or openings of the takeup bar 50, said threads will be subjected to the action of said bar as the latter is raised and lowered, owing to the movement imparted thereto by the needle bar guide rods 4-. The. supply of the thread for the formation of the loops through which the shuttles pass in forming a lock stitch may be nicely regulated through the use of the take-up mechanism above set forth, due to the fact that the bar 2 which supports the arms 53, is adapted to be r0- tatably adj ustcd so as to vary the leverage of the members 51, movement of the arms changing the fulcrum point of the levers 51 in an obvious way. The rotative adjustment of the bar 2 is obtained by means of nuts on the ends of said bar. The tension of the stitches in sewing goods of different thicknesses, and the production of stitches of dilferent lengths, is also susceptible of nice control owing to the adjustability of the take-up mechanism as just set forth.

The side frames B carry vertical bars 56 to the upper extremities of which is secured a transverse bar 57 that carries pins or other suitable supports 58 for spools or reels 59 of thread. From the spools 59 the thread feeds downwardly through guide holes or eyes (50 in the tension bar 61, said tension bar being connected at its ends with the bars 56 above referred to. The tension bar 56 is equipped with tension devices 62 of any conventional type and the thread passes from the guid holes 60 over an adjacent disk tension device and from thence passes downward through guide holes or eyes of still another guide bar 63 located near the lower ends of the bars 56 and also supported by the latter. After passing through the guide holes of the bar 68 the thread is extended upwardly through the guide holes or eyes of the take-up bar 50, after which the thread passes downwardly to the needles 5 As the needle bar 5 moves upward with its guide rods 4 the take-up bar 50 will be raised correspondingly, owing to rocking movement imparted to the levers 51, the loop of thread through which the shuttle has just passed being tightened by this action. On the other hand, as the needle bar 5 and its needles move downward, the take-up bar moves in a corresponding direction and supplies an abundance of slack thread for the formation of the loop through which a co acting shuttle passes. Owing to the provision of the take-up bar 50, all of the threads are tightened simultaneously and iniiforinly in producing the stitches. If desired a separate tension for each thread may be provided.

In sewing machines of the type hereinbefore described considerable difficulty has been experienced heretofore in providing thread guiding holes or eyes which do not cause breaking and splitting of the thread. It has heretofore been proposed to simply form an opening in a bar or other part in order to provide a thread guiding hole and repeated repolishing of these openings is necessary to maintain the same in smooth condition such that splitting of the thread is not caused. To avoid the above somewhat disadvantageous thread guiding means I contemplate the employment of porcelain or glass bushings which are fitted into open ings of the part having the thread guiding hole, and; these bushings I find remain in good condition a much longer time than the common thread. guiding holes or open-- lngs at present used. An especialadvantage incidental to the use of the porcelain or.

glassbushings, one of which is fully illustrated: in Fig. 10 of the drawings, resides in the fact that when the bushing has become worn or rough it may be replaced. in a very short time.

It may be observed that the cross bars 1 on which the brackets 3 are mounted, and which connect the side frames 13 of the ma chine, are not only advantageously used because they' afford supports for the parts 3, but they allow the goods which is operated on tobe seen at all times'as it passes from the needle plate to the feeding rolls 20, the pattern which is being used in the quiltingopration thus being in plain view of the operator. The brackets 3 may, of course, be finished in lots and are designed to be readily interchangeable in so far as their mounting upon the members 1 is concerned. A highly desirable adjustment of the needle bar presser foot and-associated parts, in relation to the shuttle races and needle plate, is afforded by the provision of the bars 1.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a quilting machine, the combination of a bed, side frames mounted thereon, cross bars connecting said frames together, a rock shaft mounted on said frames, brackets supported by said cross bars, a needle bar, a presser foot beneath the needle bar, needles on theneedle bar adapted to operate through the presser foot, guide rods extending up wardly from the needle bar and from the presser foot and mounted in the brackets aforesaid, means intermediate the rock shaft and said needle bar and presser foot for reciprocating the latter parts in timed relation to each other, levers, a take-up bar carried by said levers, and connections whereby the motion of said rock shaft is imparted tosaid levers for operating the take-up bar.

2. In a quilting machine, the combination of a bed, side frames mounted thereon, cross bars connecting said frames together, a rock shaft mounted on'said frames, brackets supported by said cross bars, a needle bar, a presser foot beneath the needle bar, needles on the needle bar adapted to operate through the presser foot, guide rods extending upwardly from the needle bar and from the presser foot and mounted in the brackets presser foot beneath the-needle bar,

aforesaid means intermediate the rock shaft and said needle bar andpresser foot for reciprocatingthe latter parts in ti1nedrelation toeach other, levers, a take-up bar carried by said levers, andconnections intermediate said levers and the needle bar guide rods whereby motion:is imparted to the take-up bar.

3. Ina. quilting machine, the combination of a bed, side frames mounted thereon, cross barsconnecting said frames together, a rock shaft mounted on said frames, brackets supported: by said. cross bars, a needle bar, a needles onthe needle bar adapted to operate through the presser foot. guide rods extending upwardly from the needle bar and: from the presser foot and mounted in the brackets aforesaid, means intermediate the rock shaft and said needle bar and presser foot for reciprocating the latter parts-in timed relation to each other, levers, a take-up bar carried by said levers, connections whereby the motion of said rockshaft is imparted to said levers for operating the takealp bar, and adjustable fulcruming means for said leve s enabling variation in the take-up action of the take-up bar.

4-. In a quilting machine, the combination of abed, side frames mounted thereon, cross bars connecting said frames together, a. rock shaft mounted-onsaidi frames, brackets supported" by said cross bars, a: needle bar, a presser foot, beneath the needle bar, needles on the needle bar adapted to operate through the presser foot, guide rods extending upwardly from the needle bar and from the presser foot and mounted in the, brackets aforesaid, means intermediate the rock shaft and. said needle bar and presser foot for reciprocating the latter parts in timed relation to each other, levers, a take-up bar carried by said levers, connections whereby the motion of. said rock. shaft is imparted to said levers for operating thetake-up bar,

* another cross bar connecting the side frames,

arms carried by said. last mentioned cross bar andadjustabl'e thereon, and fulcrums on said arms engaging the levers and relatively movable in respect to the latter.

Intestimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GUSTAV A. BOETTCHER.

Witnesses:

BERNARD LEPRIEL, MAY E. MILLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the f Commissioner of Patents, Washington,- D; 03 

